Certain water heater appliances operate such that water with the water heater's tank is maintained at a predetermined temperature. Generally, a user can select the predetermined temperature using a dial or other input on the water heater. Such water heater appliances generally heat water located with the water heater's tank at the predetermined temperature until the predetermined temperature is changed or the water heater appliance is deactivated. However, heated water from a water heater appliance is generally unneeded during certain portions of the day, such as when occupants of an associated building are regularly absent. Thus, despite no demand or limited demand for heated water, the water heater appliance can continue to operate and heat water located within the water heater's tank. Such operations can waste valuable energy.
Accordingly, methods for predicting time periods of limited heated water demand would be useful. In particular, methods for predicting time periods of limited heated water demand and adjusting a set temperature of the water heater appliance based upon such time periods would be useful.